


A bump in the night.

by unimooseaday



Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher Series - Andrzej Sapkowski
Genre: Dogs, Gen, Jaskier | Dandelion Has a Past, Mild Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-03-17
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:06:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,876
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23182978
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unimooseaday/pseuds/unimooseaday
Summary: In witch, Jaskier isn’t scared of anything until he really really is.
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia & Jaskier | Dandelion
Comments: 2
Kudos: 75





	A bump in the night.

**Author's Note:**

> It’s a quarantine fic y’all. I’m scared of dogs so Jaskier is too. I watched the show and read the wiki. All place names are from the continent map and picked at random lol.   
> Also ps I didn’t write this to be shippy, I meant it as more of an annoying ass little brother who I care for but also I WILL laugh when you get laryngitis type of way. But also, they could be fuckin readers choice.

In their travels, there were very few things Geralt noted that truly scared Jaskier. There had been the banshee, some years back whose scream in the night had awoken them both with a start. Geralt had seen his companion shoot up, human eyes searching the night aimlessly for what had released such a horrid sound. It was only Geralt's assurance that they were merely omens of death and not the cause that allowed him to be lulled back into sleep.

This would have been more concerning for Jaskier if he had any family left to be fearful for.

Geralt knew his companion was prone to dramatic outbursts. Cries for help that more for dramatic effect than born of true fear. His true disposition was much calmer, curious rather than scared even when monsters nipped at his heels. Geralt had asked him about it once after a raunchy set provoked some negative feelings from the town locals and they were forced to spend the night in the woods rather than the inn they had paid for.

“Why play a scared fool when you have ample methods to defend yourself”

“I am but a bard Geralt” Jaskier had replied, “why bother fighting when I can hide behind my lute and invoke a little pity from my attackers.”

Which Geralt admitted was a valid point “Or..” Jaskier continued, “hide behind my Witcher and let him do all the hard work”

Geralt let out a characteristic “Hmmm” and put the fire out if only to here Jaskier complain himself to sleep in the dark.

****************

They had stopped to rest in a village just south of Vizma. A town where Jaskier, claiming to be too tired to play, retired early with another patron of the bar, her braided hair was the last thing Geralt had seen as they disappeared upstairs to the bedchambers. That is until the woman’s husband followed shortly after, in a bit of a state.

Geralt prepared to follow them and defend Jaskier, as it seemed he was just as unafraid of cuckolds as he was of drowners. Geralt, listening for shouting that would warrant his assistance, heard a different kind of shouting. The shouts that got Jaskier out of as much trouble as they got him into, a conflict resolution skill Geralt hesitantly admired the bard for.

Knowing his room would be occupied for the night, and having been approached by an alderman with coin in exchange for hunting down a beast that had been mauling travelers, Geralt did not feel the need to let his companion know he would be heading out on a short hunt.

He was almost unsurprised when sometime later he found himself standing under the moon, jet black eyes staring with full detail at Jaskier. The man had, after some time, noticed Geralt was gone and followed the witcher into the woods. He stood, hands on his hips and shoes wet with the monster blood in the grass, berating Geralt for leaving him behind.

Geralt, who stood over the corpse of a beast that had more legs than eyes and more teeth than that, the arm of some poor sod still stuck in its mouth. Geralt listened as Jaskier complained,

“Really you would think after all this time you would learn I need to see these things. How am I meant to embellish your deads when all I have to go on is a few grunts and what kind of guts you manage to get stuck in your hair. _Really_ Geralt I need to be here for these things”

And watched as a form lurked, just out of view of the torch Jaskier had brought but lured to it all the same. Inching closer to the flame and the hot blood of a very animated human. Geralt wondered how Jaskier didn’t see it, as close to him as it was.

Jaskiers rambling was cut off when the beast lunged, arms reaching forward and narrowly missing their target. Jaskier pitched himself forward out of harms way with a noise of disgust as he landed face first in the wet grass.

The second monster was dispatched as quickly as the first one. “See...” said the bard “this is why you _tell me_ Geralt. I am very good bait; I stay still and everything”

The witcher grunted in response, listening into the darkness for any more creatures. “Come ooon. You must have some complement for me!”

Satisfied that nothing else was going to try and eat Jaskier tonight Geralt responded. “You can stay still perhaps, but it would be infinitely more useful for you to stay quiet.”

“Very well. I will do what I can to silence myself as long as you take my arm for the walk back. My torch has gone out." And even though Jaskier started babbling merely a few meters into their trip, Geralt did not let go of his arm.

****************

Their relationship continued like that. With Jaskier being a brazen idiot with more brains than he let on, but far less self-preservation. And Geralt absolute refusing to admit any kind of complement to the man who remained to be his closest companion.

Through monsters and cuckholds. Werewolves and one extremely pissed off wife who thought Jaskier was the witcher and Geralt the gigolo who caused her husband to be unfaithful. Jaskier continued to be unafraid of Geralts path, and most notably unafraid of Geralt himself.

****************

They had been traveling to Bogrog on a call from the court there to assist in the killing of a vague beast that had apparently killed hundreds though no one had gotten a clear look at its form. Gerald had some ideas on what it could be but absolutely refused to tell Jaskier, if for no reason than to frustrate him.

They were close, and such saw no reason to stop for the night even as the sun began to set. Walking rather than riding they made an easy pace along the forest path when Geralt stopped them.

“Wolfs?” Jaskier asked, listening intently to the barking in the distance.

“There are men with them” Geralt responded, noting the way those words changed Jaskier’s demeaner. They had encountered wolfs before and the bard had written a whole song to the irony of the white wolf fending off a pack of real wolfs. It was one of the few of Jaskier’s songs Geralt regularly requested the bard play.

“Are they coming this way” he asked, and Geralt could here how he fought to keep his voice even. It was an odd tone, the bard was not usually so ashamed of his fear. Geralt saw no need to lie to his companion.

“Yes”

“Oh” Jaskier swallowed, “can you fight dogs?”

Geralt glanced down. Jaskier had his hand curled into Roaches reigns, breath coming quick and eyes flickering in the dark that Geralt knew his human eyes couldn’t see in. It was an odd reaction. For a man who so often ran into fights against beasts who wanted to eat him, his own species was making him nervous.

“We don’t know that it will come to that” Geralt tried to be comforting, “they are probably just hunting”

Jaskier’s heartbeat spiked. “Hunting! For us? They knew we would be coming today and its not unheard of for….”

“Jaskier” Geralt stopped him. He could see one of the men approaching, bow raised and aiming into the darkness.

“Travelers!” Another man called, torch high. “Bring down yer bow Finn” and Finn did.

Jaskier didn’t relax, knuckles white and eyes locked on the dogs that loitered just behind the man with the torch.

“The Witcher!” The man cried again. “Aye we were hunting for that monster of yours, didn’t know when you would show up!”

“I’m here now” Geralt said, voice gruff like it always was on a contract. “Dog’s will do you no good here. Kennel them.” It was an order, one more for Jaskier’s sake than the sake of the hunt. Geralt was disheartened when it didn’t calm his companion down.

****************

After that Geralt noticed more. Jaskier wasn’t afraid of most things true, but afraid of things he was. He didn’t care for the dark, like most humans, and he refused to go near a dog, opposite to most humans. It affected little, Geralt had no use for dogs and they were easy enough to avoid in towns. It was simply another fact to add to his list of things he knows about Jaskier. For a man who talked so much that list was unsurprisingly long.

He always angled though, to know more about Geralt. Asking pointless questions like “what is your favorite fruit?” and "was your hair always white?”. The answers to those were cherries and no. Jaskier was disappointed when there was no further elaboration.

The newest in these pestering questions is “What are you afraid of?” It was posed late one night as the fire was dwindling down and they were finishing up the wine in the room they had rented.

“Come on Geralt, everyone is afraid of something. You can’t pull the witchers don’t have emotions card on me old friend. I know your secrets.” Geralt supposes he does. Better than any other human. But he strives to avoid the question anyway.

“What, like your afraid of dogs?” Geralt means it as a joke, to shift the focus of the conversation from his own weaknesses. From the way the room chills and Jaskier, who had previously been leaning on Geralt, stills he thinks it was not a very funny one.

“I am surprised you can notice fear, with what you deny it in yourself,” Jaskier says it in a joking manner but his heartrate does not calm.

“I can smell it. Dogs scare you. More than drowners or jibed lovers.”

“Yes. I am not ashamed to be scared of something that has sharper teeth than me” Jaskier tries to joke.

“And there are scars, small ones on your arm. There are teeth.” Geralts words spark a change in Jaskier’s scent.

“I will not discuss this with a man who refuses to admit he is afraid of anything. You can not push the question onto me Geralt.” He spits his name, defensive anger putting more space between the two.

But Geralt is not one for apologies, after a tense pause he responds in a near whisper “I am afraid there are things I can not protect you from”

Jaskier glances at him “Like history” he suggests.

“Or time”

“All men are afraid of time Witcher. You are no exception.” 

“I can prevent the past from repeating itself.” Geralt paused, trying to find his words. “We are often chased by angered husbands.” It is a question as much as it is a statement.

“I have no desire to discus this with you Geralt.” Jaskier says. Geralt takes it as the rejection that it is. “But I respect your fear and I will say if we are ever near Lettenhove than…..” he trails off.

“I can see no reason for us to travel there” Geralt says. It’s definite. He knows a little about Jaskiers relationship with his family and knows it did not end on amicable terms.

“Very good.” Jaskier takes the pitcher from the table. “I’m finishing the wine”


End file.
